Summary      Teachers      Curriculum      Daily Routine

The Montessori curriculum for toddlers is all about routines and rituals, learning independence through self-help skills and learning about grace and courtesy. A predictable day that is filled with active learning, time to absorb the environment with their sponge-like minds, and a loving caregiver to spend it with is central to our curriculum.Themed learning is another part of our daily curriculum. A typical theme might include fall harvesting, ocean animals or snow. These themes are always based on reality, driven by child interest and include opportunities for hands-on exploration of the subject. Daily notes and picture documentation keeps the parents and families aware of and involved in the learning environment of their toddler. Individual lesson plans are written monthly for each child. All pictures and documented learning is stored in each child’s portfolio. These are shared with parents at conference time.

Pouring from a pitcher, scooping and squeezing a sponge helps the child develop hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills. Maria Montessori believed that the “hand is the instrument of the mind.” Children enjoy doing what some adults find tedious like washing a table. It is the process, not the product that children delight in and learn from. A child’s work is always purposeful, active and enjoyable.

Montessori encourages activities that foster concentration and coordination. She believed that a child’s play is the work they must do to grow and develop hence the activities in a Montessori environment are called “work.”